Report: Peyton Manning Expected to 'Join the Alliance' of New Broncos' Leadership
The Denver Broncos are voyaging into a brave new football world. Under the team ownership of the Walton/Penner group, the Broncos are helmed by newcomers at the very top of the organization, and the Nathaniel Hackett coaching staff is also roundly green behind the ears.
Hackett and each of his three coordinators are serving in their positions for the first time in their respective careers. Adding to that feeling of Mile High novelty is the arrival of nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson.
Often during the past six years of depredations, Broncos Country thought to itself that this team had nowhere to go but up. In that spirit, despite there being so much new blood at key ownership, administrative, coaching, and personnel levels, it can't get much worse than the six wins the Broncos have averaged per season over the past five years.
One constant, however, is John Elway. As the Broncos' long-time president of football operations, Elway relinquished his GM duties following the 2020 campaign and hired George Paton to succeed him.
Elway finished out the last season on his contract as an executive in 2021. He's now working on a one-year deal as a consultant, and according to the Colorado Springs Gazette's Woody Paige, Elway hoped to garner an stake with the new ownership group but that doesn't appear to be in the cards.
[Elway] sought to become a one percent minority shareholder with the winning partnership, but that role appears highly improbable.
The Walton/Penner group includes business mogul Mellody Hobson, and just this week, former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also joined Broncos ownership. Not long after Rob Walton emerged victorious in the Broncos ownership sweepstakes, we learned that the new group has designs on Peyton Manning taking on some sort of role with the team.
Paige's reporting seems to confirm that, along with more intel on other players who could join Broncos ownership.
Peyton Manning is expected to join the alliance, and one of the partners among the losers of the auction bidding could be invited to be a partner. One source says Michael S. Dell, creator of the Dell Computer company and a co-partner with Rob Walton in a Hawaii resort development, may participate with the Broncos.
Time will tell how things will unfold and what role Manning would have specifically. ESPN reported back in June that Manning — the NFL's only five-time MVP — could be incentivized by being offered an equity stake.
The Walton-Penner group that agreed to buy the Denver Broncos this week has contacted Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning about a role in the organization that could eventually lead to an equity stake in the franchise, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Thursday.
Sources told Schefter that the group reached out to Manning about an advisory role with the team that could lead to his joining the ownership group.
As much new blood as there is at Dove Valley, Elway is still involved in a consultant role and likely will be through the 2022 season. Meanwhile, if nothing else, the acquisition of Wilson proved that Paton is more than competent at running the football side of things.
If/when Manning eventually takes on a role at Broncos HQ, what will it mean for Elway? Are the two mutually exclusive? Right now, we don't have the answers.
But all will be known in due time.
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